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How do I change the way i FEEL

The other day I saw a tiger i wanted to get for my 6mth old so i waited till pay day and got it coming out the store my mom started talking to another family well there youngest daughter told me alot about there personal life and how they went to the thrift store to be put on a list to get christmas presents bc there family was going tho a hard time and my 6mth olds 30dollar tiger w tag still on its ear was sitten on top of the basket and it really made me feel like a bad person for spending that much on my lil one when some family don't have much of any thing how do i feel not so bad about that

I ran into this issue last year around Christmas. I felt really bad about it. I knew that it wasn't my fault but I still felt bad. I kept thinking about the kids and how horrible the mom must have felt. Every year for Christmas I buy cheap wicker baskets and fill them with homemade baked goods. I found a really big one and filled it as much as I could and found a few presents for the woman's two kids. On Christmas day before I let anyone in the house open our presents... we went to the woman's house with the presents and gave them to the family. The woman cried (so did i) I explained that no one should go without a good christmas and that I wished that I could do more. I also invited her and her family over for Christmas dinner. I will say this... I felt so happy when we went home and even better when they came over for dinner that night. In the end... i figured out that all I could think about was what if that was me.

I don't think you should need to feel bad. If you want to feel better about it, why not give a donation to Toys for Tots or something like that? Then, you can give your child what you want, and you can go to sleep at night, feeling good because you did something good for a kid that might not be able to get anything else.

In response and in respect for those that buy for Christmas. When one goes to buy, don't use the Holiday itself, for an excuse to buy. Do something nice now. Do something, anything. Help by making a list of things that people need from today, to new years day. Buying things isn't the answer, but I suppose it's nice to get stuff.
All I know is that when we sell or buy just for one day that is only acceptable it becomes a competition. I would know ahead that Christmas usually made for children and just a couple close people that YOU PICK. It's not for everyone that day. Some people are Jewish, some are Russian, and celebrate differently. All in all, giving is and should be a pleasant experience. I see things that are nice. But i don't really go buy on impulse, just because my sons want something now. I keep it in mind. Also I see what is acceptable as giving according to price first, not impulse "now".
da

Answer by
Anonymous
at 8:24 PM on Nov. 1, 2010

No matter how tight we are on money at Christmas, I always try to do something for another family or another child. Normally we take names from the Angel tree, at least for one child. I can manage to take $5 from our budget and go buy a nice toy for that child at a store like Ross or Big Lots where good toys are on sale for less. We also clean out my kids closets and toys right before the holidays, and I advertise the good quality items I have that we are getting rid of for free on freecycle. I try to make sure we have plenty of stuff to give to people so that kids might have at least a few presents to open on Christmas morning, even if it is used stuff. Sometimes I am able to add in some wrapping supplies also. If you are feeling bad, then do something like that. Just remember, giving should be from the heart, not to soothe your soul.

No matter how little we have for Christmas, I still give to the Angel Tree. I had a friend who was in foster care from 6-16 he said that it was the only gift he got in a year was at Christmas from a donation.

You work hard to get that tiger didn't you? so you should not feel bad about others that do not have much, you can also help with donating your time or somehow making their lives a bit easier if not with money with fund raising or such. Don't let others misfortune spoil the happiness you created for yourself.